A multi-laboratory study of diverse RSV neutralization assays indicates feasibility for harmonization with an international standard.

A current barrier to the standardized evaluation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidates is the wide variety of virus neutralization assay formats currently in use for assessing immunogenicity. Assay formats vary widely in labor intensiveness, duration, and sample throughput. Furthermore, the cell lines and virus strains used are not consistent among formats.

Advances in RSV vaccine research and development - A global agenda.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of viral lower respiratory tract illness in infants and children globally, but no vaccine is currently available to protect these vulnerable populations. Live-attenuated vaccine approaches have been in development for decades, but achieving the appropriate balance between immunogenicity and safety has proven difficult. Immunoprophylaxis with the neutralizing monoclonal antibody palivizumab is limited to high-risk infants, but cost requirements for multiple dosing make its use impractical in low- and middle-income countries.